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<strong>America understands that India has a special relationship with Russia including in the defence and security sector and &ldquo;that is okay,&rdquo; US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday.</strong></p>
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&quot;We share important interests with India. We share important values with India. And we know India has a relationship with Russia that is distinct from the relationship that we have with Russia. Of course, that is okay,&quot; Price told journalists at a press conference, according to a PTI report from Washington.</p>
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&quot;India has a relationship with Russia that we certainly don&#39;t have. India and Russia have a relationship, including in the defence and security sector, that we don&#39;t have. … we have asked every country that has a relationship and certainly those countries that have leverage to use that leverage in a constructive way,&quot; he said in response to a question.</p>
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Price said the US has a broad strategic partnership with India. Earlier, too, Price had said America&rsquo;s relationship with India stands on its own merit and has not been impacted by the ongoing tension with Russia.</p>
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He was responding to a question on whether U.S. relations with India have been impacted due to the stand New Delhi has taken in the UN Security Council on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.</p>
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India abstained on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that said it &quot;deplores in the strongest terms&quot; Russia&#39;s &quot;aggression&quot; against Ukraine. New Delhi said dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes and voiced &quot;regret&quot; that the path of diplomacy was given up.</p>
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The resolution did go through as permanent member Russia used its veto.</p>
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As India tries to maintain a tough diplomatic balance on the Russia-Ukraine war, it used strong words on Russian actions but stopped short of voting against them.</p>
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Before the UN Security Council vote, the US had built up pressure on India to commit to a stronger response to Russia&#39;s military operation in Ukraine..</p>
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On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, speaking to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had emphasised the importance of a &quot;strong collective response&quot; to condemn Russia&rsquo;s move.</p>
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However, India stayed firm on its stand at the UNSC and in its &ldquo;explanation of vote&rdquo; called for a return to the path of diplomacy.</p>
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<strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/putin-urges-ukraine-military-to-take-over-power-and-hold-talks-directly-with-russia-to-end-conflict-153074.html">Putin urges Ukraine military to take over power and hold talks directly with Russia to end conflict</a></strong></p>
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